Letter telling Ontario family to ‘euthanize’ autistic son not a hate crime: police

An anonymous letter telling an Ontario family to “euthanize” their 13-year-old autistic child because of the noise he makes while playing outside does not constitute a hate crime, police announced Tuesday.

The letter was delivered last week to the boy’s grandmother, Brenda Millson, who reported it to Durham Regional Police. The letter writer claimed to be a neighbourhood mother.

“You have a kid that is mentally handicapped and you consciously decided that it would be a good idea to live in close proximity neighborhood like this????” the letter railing against Millson’s grandson, Maxwell Begley, says.

The letter left Millson “shaking in disbelief” and outraged people across the globe after it made international news. However, police announced Tuesday that prosecutors advised the letter would not meet the high threshold for a hate crime charge.

“DRPS investigators have consulted with the Crown Attorney’s office in regard to a letter sent to a Newcastle resident that attacks a disabled member of the family. Despite the hateful language used, the Crown Attorney’s office has advised that the content of the letter falls below the threshold for a hate crime,” Durham Regional Police said in a statement.

However, police say additional criminal offences are being considered in their investigation.

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While Maxwell lives with his brother and parents in Oshawa, Ont. he spends much of the summer at his grandmother’s house. Millson told media that she thinks the “gutless” letter writer might have assumed she was Maxwell’s mother.

Maxwell’s mother, Karla Begley, is in a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis and says her son will continue to stay in Newcastle, despite the threat.

“It was a threat, it’s disgusting, they wanted her to leave and move, like we are not allowed to be around ‘normal society,” she told CP24 of the letter to her mother. “Sometimes when you have a special needs kid, life turns out differently than you planned, but it’s great.

“This (letter writer), they need to live with themselves, even if they don’t get caught right away.”

The typo-ridden letter, signed by “One pissed off mother,” said: “You selfishly put your kid outside everyday and let hime be a nothing but a nuisance and a problem to everyone else with that noise polluting whaling he constantly makes.”

“Do the right thing and and move or euthanize him!!! Either way, we are ALL better off!!!” it says at the end.

The case has received international attention since the letter was highlighted on Twitter by Lennon and Maisy Stella, stars of the ABC drama Nashville.The sisters are from nearby Whitby, Ontario.

“It’s the lowest thing I can think of. But Max is surrounded by love,” the pair’s Twitter feed said later.

The hashtag #loveformaxwell began trending Tuesday morning as many expressed their support and fury towards the letter writer.

I want this family to know they are loved! The horrible woman who wrote the anonymous hate letter should be ashamed!!#loveformaxwell

The National Post received numerous comments on the issue. One reader, Aliya Makani of Bobcaygeon, Ont., said she wanted to be able to write to the author of the “disturbing letter.”

“This kind-hearted, caring and loving child has done nothing to ever hurt you but you clearly feel the need to attack him based on circumstances he was born with,” Makani wrote. “You should be absolutely ashamed of your behaviour and your hurtful words! It is YOU that should move away from that neighbourhood, because you do not deserve kind neighbours like them!”

THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER

To the lady living at this address:

I also live in this neighborhood and have a problem!!!! You have a kid that is mentally handicapped and you consciously decided that it would be a good idea to live in close proximity neighborhood like this???? You selfishly put your kid outside everyday and let hime be a nothing but a nuisance and a problem to everyone else with that noise polluting whaling he constantly makes!!! That noise he makes when he is outside is DREADFUL!!!!!!!!!! It scares the hell out of my normal children!!!!!!!! When you fell your idiot kids nees fresh air, take him to our park you dope!!! We have a nature trail!! Let hime run around those places and make noise!!!!!! Crying babies, music and even barking dogs are normal sounds in a residential neighborhood!!!!! He is NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is a hindrance to everyone and will always be that way!!!!! Who the hell is going to care for him?????? No employer will hire him, no normal girl is going to marry/love him and you are not going to live forever!! Personally, they should take whatever non retarded body parts he possesses and donate it to science. What the hell else good is he to anyone!!! You had a retarded kid, deal with it… properly!!!!! What right do you have to do this to hard working people!!!!!!! I HATE people like you who believe, just because you have a special needs kid, you are entitled to special treatmen!!! GOD!!!!!!!

Do everyone in our community a huge favor and MOVE!!!! VAMOSE!!! SCRAM!!!! Move away and get out of this type of neighborhood setting!!! Go live in a trailer in the woods or something with your wild animal kid!!! Nobody wants you living here and they don’t have the guts to tell you!!!!!

Do the right thing and and move or euthanize him!!! Either way, we are ALL better off!!!

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